CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

WHAT ARISTOTLE CAN TEACH US ABOUT BUILDING LOVE THAT LAST?

„Happy Together. Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love That Lasts” written by Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, James Pawelski.

„Aristotle holds that love is the greatest external good. And he says we tend to love three different kind of things: those that are useful, those that are pleasurable, and those that are good” (p. 33).

„healthiest relationship are ones in which each person supports the autonomous motivation of other. In other words, instead of requiring the other person to be what we need, we work to help him become who he is” (p. 33).

„The more we think about what happiness is, the more complicated it can seem. We might be tempted to resort to Augustine’s clever answer about time: <If no one asks me, I know. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know” (p.38).

„What then us happiness? […] Human happiness lies in doing well what we are uniquely suited for” […] lies in using our rational capacities well” (p.39-40).

„eudaimonia is usually translated as happiness, it means more the just pleasant mood and refers to overall well-being or flourishing” (p.41).

OUR APPROACH TO BE HAPPY TOGETHER

  1. PARTNERS LOVE THE GOOD THEY SEE IN EACH OTHER […]
  2. THEY ARE COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER’S WELL-BEING AND SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR GROWTH […]
  3. THEY ARE INSPIRED TO BECOME BETTER PEOPLE THEMSELVES (p.42-43).